86 THE PERIODICAL CICADA. 
L the ni^ht. Prof. A. D. Hopkins noted an instance or two of this 
kind in connection with the brood of cicadas appearing in West Vir- 
ginia in 1<S97. He says: 
I WHS fortunate enough to hear the starting of one of these concerts on a clear, moon- 
light night in June. One male in an apple tree near the house suddenly called out 
as if disturbed or frightened. His neighbors in the same tree were thus apparently 
awakened. One started the familiar song note, which was at once taken up by num- 
bers of other males, and, like the waves from a pebble dropped into still water, the 
music rapidly spread until it reached the edge of the thick woods, where it was taken 
up by thousands of singers, and the concert was in as full blast as it had been the 
previous day. This continued a few minutes, until all had apparently taken part 
and the song had reached its highest pitch, when it began to gradually subside, and 
in a short time silence again prevailed. 
THE SO-CALLED STING OF THE CICADA. 
With every general outbreak of this insect are associated many 
accounts in local papers of its stinging human beings, the sting often 
resulting, it is stated, more or less seriously to the person stung. Such 
accounts were especially abundant in the great Cicada 3^ear 1868, and 
in every important Cicada year before and since similar reports have 
been made. So great was the fear in 1868, as noted by Professor 
Riley, that in some cases fruits were avoided as being stung and 
poisoned, and even drinking water was sometimes under suspicion. 
So far as investigation of the reports has been possible they have 
proved to be either utterl}^ without foundation or much exaggerated. 
Referring again to Doctor Smith's manuscript, it is seen that he spent 
much labor in carefully investigating such accounts, and found in 
every case that he followed up, where death had been reported as 
caused by the '^bite" or sting of the ^'locusts," that the story was 
entirely fabulous. In the cases of apparent stinging he suggests that 
the sufferer had probably been stung b}^ a wasp, as ^\'ill be later 
explained, and soundl}^ argues on the susceptibilit}' of some neople to 
whom the slightest scratch becomes a source of danger. 
Professor Potter, referring to the Cicada, says in tliis connection: 
''It can not defend itself against an ant or a fly. We have liandled 
them, male and female, time after time. We have mutilated them, 
but never could provoke them to resentment." 
Professor Rile}^ says that of the thousands ^\ liicli he has handled, 
and the hundreds of other persons, including children, who have also 
handled these insects, not a single bona fide case of stinging has, to 
liis knowledge, resulted. 
That the periodical Cicada can pierce the flesh Avith its suckiag beak, 
or, more properly, the fine needle-like filaments contained in it, or 
perhaps extremely rarely w ith the ovipositor in the case of the female, 
is quite within the bounds of possibility, and some apparently well- 
authenticated cases or reports by reliable observers bear out this view. 
